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The site named "pigmy rattle snake home page" @ stetson university is no longer working.

I haven't been able to find too much info on the pigmy rattle snake. I do have one and I plan to get a few more and I just wanted to do some more reading before I got them.

Could someone please direct me to a good Pigmy rattle snake site?

The questions to which I seek answers are:

1. Breeding

2. Husbandry.

3. Care of hatchlings. Has anyone ever taken care of hatchling Pigmies? I would imagine that they are quite small and delicate and probably require special diets such as lizards or frogs. What about crickets and fish?--just a guess. Please shed some light.

I find much more on copperheads than I do on Pigmies. Why is this? Do not many people keep pigmies? I would think that pigmies would be pretty widely kept since they are an native US species and are so sweet and amazing animals! I just love the one I have. He is a great eater and a sweet-heart.

sincerely, Tang.
pic of my pigmy, the sweet heart. Click this blue line

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Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

Tang,
The reason why you dont see many sites on the Pigmys is because they are super easy to keep. As far as breeding goes, a buddy of mine had 2.3 and they started "tail tanglin" in the spring. One of the females had 6 babies two weeks ago. Raising the neonates can be quite difficult if you dont have the right resources. Two years ago I was given my first neonate Pigmy. I waited until his first shed then began trying to see what he will eat. After trying Greenhouse Frogs and Squirel Tree Frogs to no avail, he pounded on Brown Anoles. He ate brown anoles up until the first 6 months of his life and then went to pinks. He is currently now 15 inches and doing great. The babies my friend had two weeks ago are feeding on greenhouse frogs now. Hope this helps you out some.

Joe

>>Tang,
>> The reason why you dont see many sites on the Pigmys is because they are super easy to keep. As far as breeding goes, a buddy of mine had 2.3 and they started "tail tanglin" in the spring. One of the females had 6 babies two weeks ago. Raising the neonates can be quite difficult if you dont have the right resources. Two years ago I was given my first neonate Pigmy. I waited until his first shed then began trying to see what he will eat. After trying Greenhouse Frogs and Squirel Tree Frogs to no avail, he pounded on Brown Anoles. He ate brown anoles up until the first 6 months of his life and then went to pinks. He is currently now 15 inches and doing great. The babies my friend had two weeks ago are feeding on greenhouse frogs now. Hope this helps you out some.
>>
>> Joe

That is definitely helpful, Joe. Thank you so much for writing me. .

I currently have one of those sweet-hearts. He is a dusky pigmy rattle snake Sistrurus miliarius barbouri. You are right. They are super easy to keep, as I have found out. He is a mouse pounding machine ever since when I first got him two months ago at the June Hamburg show.

I plan to get a few more because they are such sweet-hearts and have such a miniature stature. They are like a Hot Snake in a small package and I can get a bunch in a small space.

I currently keep the one I have in a compact enclosure. I call it an efficiency enclosure. My cage has just enough room for two hides--one hot and hot cold--and one water bowl. I like the small cages because I can put the small cages inside a larger cage. This allows me to double cage which allows me to sleep well at night knowing that there is absolutely zero chance of escape

I plan to get a number more of these efficiency enclosures set up and have fun keeping a number of these sweet hearts. They are just so lovely @ 15 inches as adults!

Thank you for the neonate tips. I plan to breed in the future and the info you gave me will help. I know they give birth to live youngs like all rattle snakes. Thank you for pointing out about the feeding after the first shed and also for giving me a few food items to try: Squirrel tree frogs, Greenhouse frogs, and brown anoles for the first six months.

Tell me more about your little neonate. It must be a real rewarding husbandry experience to raise a little guy from neonate to adulthood of 15 inches. Do you plan to breed him?

What size is a neonate? I am sure they must be just the cutest and tiniest things ever. And delicate, too, I bet!

thx in advance!

cheers.
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Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

Tang not tryin to say what your doing is wrong but you are worrying to much about your pigmy. as far as it goes my pigmy is in a rubbermaid kept at room temperature.she is fine no problems as of yet my room probably hits about 76-80 during the day anddrops to like 71-73 at nite and thats all i do newspaper substrate one hide box and a small waterbowl for soaking. Just trying to let you know how easy it is to keep these amazing animals. Hope this helps

Aaron Luxenberg